JPH09174371A - Pallet pool type machining device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve flexibility and extendability in design and manufacture at newly constructing time of a device according to a demand of a user, at additionally extending time of an apparatus and at changing time of arrangement as well as to reduce cost. SOLUTION: This device is composed of a machining center, a pallet pool, a preparatory station, a carrying car to carry pallets between the machining center, the pallet pool and the preparatory station and rails which are laid between the machining center and the pallet pool and on which the carrying car travels. In this case, a pallet shelf 3 is formed in a basic length P1 suitable for mounting plural (two) pallets 2, and the rails are composed of rail single bodies 12 having substantially the same length as the basic length P1, and a device is newly constructed and additionally extended by freely combining these rail single bodies 12, the pallet shelf 3 and the machining center 5 with each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pallet pool type machining apparatus capable of continuous unmanned operation for a long time by combining a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center with a three-dimensional pallet pool.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A pallet pool type machining apparatus includes, for example, a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center, a pallet pool having a large number of pallet shelves on which pallets are placed, a setup station for exchanging works on the pallet, A transport vehicle for transporting the pallet among the machining center, the pallet pool, and the setup station, and a rail on which the transport vehicle travels are provided.

In the above pallet pool type machining device,
By placing and storing the pallet on which the unprocessed work is mounted on the pallet rack of the pallet pool, and sequentially supplying the pallet to the machining center by the transport vehicle,
It is possible to process many workpieces unattended for a long time.

When constructing the above-mentioned conventional pallet pool type machining apparatus, the number of machining centers, the number of setup stations, the number of pallet shelves, and the arrangement form thereof are designed each time according to the user's request. I was trying to make it.

[0005]

The above-mentioned conventional method is a method of designing the number of pallet shelving sets and their arrangement form each time according to the user's wishes. Therefore, the apparatus construction according to the user's request can be achieved. However, there is a problem that it is not flexible when it is used and the expandability is low when the device is expanded.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has high flexibility in constructing a device according to a user's request, high expandability in adding / expanding a device, and a change in arrangement form. An object of the present invention is to provide a pallet pool type machining device that can be easily performed and is low in cost.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine tool for processing a work, and a pallet pool having a plurality of pallet shelves on which the work mounting pallets are placed.
The setup station for exchanging the work on the pallet, the machine tool, the pallet pool, and the carrier for transporting the pallet between the setup station, and the laying machine installed between the machine tool and the pallet pool, In a pallet pool type machining apparatus having a rail on which a carrier travels, the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets, and the rail has a length substantially the same as the basic length. The feature is that it is composed of multiple rails.

In the present invention, the fact that the pallet rack length and the rail single unit length are substantially the same means that the pallet rack arranging interval and the rail single unit arranging interval are different from each other. It means that the length will be the same when viewed from the length including this arrangement interval.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets, and in plan view, at least one pallet rack and at least one rail unit. And are arranged in parallel so that the center of the pallet loading / unloading part of the machine tool is located on the center between the pallets mounted on the pallet rack, or the center of the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and the pallet rack are mounted. It is characterized in that the machine tools are arranged such that the distance between the centers of the pallets thus formed is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets, and at least one pallet rack and at least one rail single unit in plan view. And are arranged in parallel so that the center of the pallet loading / unloading part of the machine tool is located on the center of any pallet mounted on the pallet rack, or the center of the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and either of the above. The machine tool is arranged such that the distance from the center of the pallet is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second or third aspect, at least one set of rail units and at least one set-up station are arranged in plan view so as to be adjacent to the pallet rack, the rail unit, and the machine tool. However, it is characterized in that the distance between the center of the carry-in / out section of the machine tool and the center of the setup station is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the rack according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the rack arranged along the rail for driving the transport vehicle is an integral multiple of a pitch of rack teeth,
In addition, it is characterized in that it is composed of a plurality of racks each having a length substantially the same as the basic length.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to FIG.
2 and 4 are views for explaining a pallet pool type machining apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 1 is a plan configuration diagram in the case of including one set of basic units described later, and FIG.
Is a plan configuration diagram when two sets of basic units are provided, FIG.
FIG. 10 is a symbolic diagram schematically showing the devices constituting the device of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a pallet pool type machining apparatus, which is a machining center 5 for machining a workpiece (not shown) as a workpiece and a pallet pool for storing a large number of pallets 2. 6 and a setup station 8 for exchanging the work on the pallet 2,
A transport vehicle 9 that transports the pallet 2 is provided.
Reference numeral 10 denotes a control board (control station) for controlling the transfer schedule of the pallet 2 and the like. The control board 10, the machining center 5 and the transfer vehicle 9 are provided.
And are connected by a cable 11.

The pallet pool 6 includes the pallet 2
2 is mounted on the pallet rack 3.
The intervals between the pallets 2 and 2 stored in the pallet pool 6 are the same pitch P.

Further, the carrier 9 has a rail composed of a plurality of rails 12 arranged between the machining center 5 and the pallet pool 6 and a rack composed of a plurality of racks 16 on a rail. The pallet 2 is moved by engaging the 9a with each other to move the pallet 2 to the machining center 5, the pallet rack 3 of the pallet pool 6, and the like.
And the set-up station 8, and the transfer vehicle 9 includes a pallet 2 between the machining center 5, the pallet rack 3, and the set-up station 8.
Is provided with a pallet transfer mechanism (not shown).

Further, 14a to 14d are the rail unit 1 described above.
2, a safety fence surrounding the pallet pool 6, the setup station 8 and the like, and the safety fence 14a is set to a length capable of covering one side of the pallet rack 3 and the rail unit 12 in two sets. . Reference numeral 15 denotes an opening / closing door attached to the safety fence 14d.

The length of the pallet rack 3 in the horizontal direction in the figure is
The basic length P1 suitable for mounting the two pallets 2 and 2 is set, and the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 are set to substantially the same length as the pallet rack 3. . Note that the substantially same length means that, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, three sets of pallet racks correspond to three sets of rail units and rack units in a plan view. , It means that the racks are composed of the same number of sets, in other words, that they have the same length including the arrangement intervals.

The rack unit 16 has a length that is an integral multiple of the pitch of the rack teeth and is cut at the center of the tooth root.

The plurality of pallet shelves 3, the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 are arranged on straight lines parallel to each other in the horizontal direction in the drawing. The rail unit 12 'and the rack unit 16' arranged at the left and right ends are the above-mentioned carrier 9
Is for preventing derailment when the pallets 2 at the left and right ends are replaced and for ensuring a traveling amount in case the transport vehicle 9 overtravels. In addition, rail only 1
2 ', the rack alone 16' has the same length as the other rail alone 12 and the rack alone 16.

Further, the machining center 5 has a center line A at the loading / unloading portion of the pallet 2, a boundary line between the pallet shelves 3 and 3 arranged at a position facing the machining center 5, and the rail units 2 and 2. B, that is, palette 2,
It is arranged so that the center line between the two coincides. In other words, the distance between the center line A and the center between the pallets on the pallet rack 3 is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch P.
In this embodiment, the center line A coincides with the processing center line.

The setup station 8 has a center line D and a center line F in the left-right longitudinal direction of the pallet rack 3 and the rail unit 12 and the rack unit 16 which are arranged at positions facing the setup station 8. It is arranged to match. The distance between the center line A of the loading / unloading section of the machining center 5 and the center line D of the setup station 8 is
It is an integral multiple (3 times in the case of the present embodiment) of the pitch P between the pallets 2 and 2 arranged in the pallet pool 6.

The new construction and additional expansion of the pallet pool type machining apparatus 1 of this embodiment are performed by freely combining the machining center 5, the pallet rack 3, the rail unit 12, and the rack unit 16. In the present embodiment, further, for example, the basic unit G is installed by setting one set as shown in FIG. 1 or two sets as shown in FIG. This basic unit G includes one machining center 5 and two pallet shelves 3 in plan view.
It is provided with two sets of rails 12 and two sets of racks 16, and has a form in which the machining center 5 is arranged so that the center line A of the loading / unloading section and the boundary line B coincide with each other.

In the example of FIG. 1, the basic unit G is set as one set, and adjacent to the unit G, the setup station 8, one set of rails 12, one set of racks 16 and one set in plan view. The pallet rack 3 is arranged, and the rail unit 12 ', the rack unit 16', and the control panel 10 are further arranged at both ends of the pallet pool type machining apparatus when the pallet rack is for two pallets. It has the basic form.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the apparatus is expanded by increasing the number of the basic units G by one set. In this case, since a space for operation or inspection and maintenance is required between the machining centers 5 and 5 of the adjacent basic units G, G, one set of pallet shelves 3 in plan view between both basic units, the rail unit 12, and The number of racks 16 is increased by one set, and the safety fences 14a and 14b are increased accordingly. Note that FIG.
In the above example, one set of pallet shelves 3 is further added in plan view by utilizing the interval between the machining centers 5 and 5.

Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. Pallet pool 6 prior to the start of processing
The processed work of is replaced with an unprocessed work. First, the pallet 2 on which the processed work on the pallet rack 3 is mounted is transferred to the above-mentioned setup station 8 by the transfer vehicle 9, where the processed work and the unprocessed work are exchanged, and then the unprocessed work is mounted. The pallet 2 thus prepared is placed on a predetermined pallet rack 3 in the pallet pool 6 by a carrier 9 at a predetermined position. In this way, raw work is stored in the pallet pool 6.

When the processing start is instructed, the pallet 2 on which the unprocessed work is mounted on the predetermined pallet rack 3.
Is taken out by the carrier 9 and the machining center 5
Is supplied to. Further, the pallet on which the processed work is mounted is taken out from the machining center 5 and returned to the predetermined pallet rack 3.

Since the new construction of the processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment and the additional expansion thereafter are carried out by freely combining the machining center 5, the pallet rack 3, the rail unit 12, and the rack unit 16, flexibility and expandability are provided. Is high. Further, in this embodiment, one machining center 5, two pallet shelves 3, and two rail units 1
Basic unit G consisting of two and two rack units 16
Since expansion is performed in units of, the expandability can be further improved. For example, when the basic form of FIG. 1 is additionally expanded to the example of FIG. 2, one set of basic unit G, one set of pallet shelves 3 in plan view, one rail unit 12 and one rack unit 16 are added. Just do it.

Thus, in this embodiment, the pallet rack 3
Is a basic length P1 suitable for mounting two pallets 2,
The rail 12 and the rack 16 are made to have substantially the same length as the pallet rack 3, and two sets of the pallet rack 3 in plan view,
Since two sets of the rail single unit 12 and the rack single unit 16 are combined into one machining center 5 to form a basic unit G, and the basic unit G is additionally expanded, a new device according to the user's request can be installed. It has high flexibility and additional expandability in construction, and can easily change the arrangement position. Further, since the length of the rack alone 16 is an integral multiple of the pitch of the rack teeth, the racks can be freely joined together.

Concretely, for example, the basic unit G is constructed by arranging the symbol diagrams on the monitor at intervals of the predetermined length P1 using a CAD system or the like using the symbol diagrams shown in FIGS. However, the design can be performed by simply adding or reducing this, and the labor can be reduced accordingly. 3 to 10, 18 is the machining center 5, 19 is the setup station 8, 20 is the pallet rack 3, 21 is the transport vehicle 9, 22 is the rail unit 12, and 23 is 24a-of the control panel 10
24d is a safety fence 14a to 14d, 25 is a single rack 1
Each of the 6 symbol diagrams is shown.

Further, the pallet 2, the pallet rack 3, the rail unit 12, the rack unit 16, the safety fences 14a to 14d.
Since it can be generalized, the cost for designing and manufacturing each device can be reduced.

11 and 12 show claims 1, 3, 4, and 5.
2 is a diagram for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is an example of the case where a pallet rack corresponding to three pallets is adopted. In the drawings, the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. A considerable part is shown.

The basic unit G'in the pallet pool type machining apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes one machining center 5, one set of pallet racks 4 in plan view, one set of rails 13, and one set of rails. The rack center 17 is provided, and the machining center 5 is aligned with the center line A of the pallet loading / unloading section and the center line of the pallet rack 4, the rail unit 13, and the rack unit 17 in the longitudinal direction, that is, the center line C of the center pallet 2. It has a form arranged so as to

FIG. 11 shows a case in which one set of basic units G'is provided, and the length of the pallet rack 4 in the left-right direction in the figure is set to a predetermined length P2 suitable for mounting three pallets 2. Further, the rail unit 13 and the rack unit 17 are set to have substantially the same length as the pallet rack 4. The safety fence 14b 'is shorter than 14a.

Next to the basic unit G ', a setup station 8, a set of rails 13, a set of racks 17, and a set of pallet shelves 4 in plan view are the center line D of the setup station. The pallet shelves 4 are arranged so that the center line in the longitudinal direction, that is, the center line C of the center pallet 2 coincides. The distance between the center line A of the loading / unloading section of the machining center 5 and the center line D of the setup station 8 is such that the pallets 2, 2 arranged in the pallet pool 7 are
It is an integral multiple of the pitch P between them (three times in the case of the present embodiment). Further, a rail unit 13 'and a rack unit 17' are arranged at both ends, and a control panel 10 is arranged at one end. In this way, in the pallet pool type machining device in the case of using three pallets 2 as a unit. The basic form is configured.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which the apparatus is expanded by increasing the number of the basic units G'by one set. In this case, the machining centers 5 of the adjacent basic units G'and G'are
Since space for operation or inspection and maintenance is required between 5 units, one set of pallet shelves 4 in plan view is provided between both basic units,
The number of rails 13 and racks 17 is increased by one set, and the safety fences 14a and 14b 'are increased accordingly. In the example of FIG. 12, one set of pallet shelves 4 is added in plan view by utilizing the space between the machining centers 5 and 5, and two pallet shelves 4 are further provided between the setup station 8 and the control panel 10 in plan view. Set, rail alone 13, rack alone 17
By adding more sets, the number of pallets stored can be increased and continuous processing can be performed for a longer period of time.

The center of the pallet loading / unloading section in the present invention means the machining center 5 as shown in FIG.
When there are two pallet exchange positions, it means the center of both pallet exchange positions.

In the above embodiment, the case where the number of the basic units G or G'sets is increased or decreased has been described. However, in the present invention, it is not always necessary to use such basic units as a unit, and the point is that a machining center or the like is used. The machine tools, basic length pallet shelves, rails, and racks can be freely combined.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a plurality of pallet shelves 3 may be provided vertically, and any pallet shelf 3 may have an arbitrary three-dimensional structure.

Further, in the first embodiment, the machining center 5 is arranged so that the center line A of the pallet loading / unloading portion coincides with the boundary line between the two pallet shelves 3 and 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The machining center 5 may be arranged so that the distance between the center of the two pallets 2 and 2 of the one pallet rack 3 and the center line A is an integral multiple of the pitch of adjacent pallets. Similarly, in the second embodiment described above, the machining centers 5 may be arranged so that the distance between the center of any pallet 2 on one pallet rack 4 and the center line A is an integral multiple of the pitch of adjacent pallets. .

[0041]

As described above, according to the pallet pool type machining apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, a machine tool, a pallet rack having a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets, and the basic length and substantial By newly selecting the number of rails of the same length and the layout configuration, the new construction and additional expansion of the equipment are performed. Therefore, it is possible to construct the processing equipment according to the user's wishes and the additional expansion. It is easy and has the effect of improving flexibility and expandability, and is highly versatile for pallet shelves, rails, etc., and has the effect of reducing manufacturing costs.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the center of the two pallet mounting pallet shelves, the rail alone, and the loading / unloading section coincides with the center of the pallets on the pallet rack, or the pallet of the pallet with the center of the loading / unloading section. Since it is configured with a machine tool arranged so that the distance from the center is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch, the system design when the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets The flexibility and additional expandability of can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the center of the three pallet mounting pallet shelves, the rail alone, and the loading / unloading part coincides with the center of the pallet on the pallet rack, or any of the pallet center and the loading / unloading part. Since it is composed of machine tools arranged so that the distance from the center of the pallet is an integer multiple of the pallet pitch, the system design when the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets The above flexibility and additional expandability can be improved.

According to the invention of claim 4, claim 2 or 3
The setup station is arranged so that the distance between the center of the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and the center of the setup station is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch so that it is adjacent to the rails. And additional expandability can be improved.

According to the invention of claim 5, since the rack is constituted by a single rack having an integral multiple of the pitch of the rack teeth and substantially the same length as the basic length, the racks can be spliced freely. From this point as well, flexibility in system design and additional expandability can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan configuration diagram of a pallet pool type machining apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan configuration diagram when the number of machining centers is increased to two in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a machining center in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a setup station in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a pallet rack in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a carrier vehicle in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a rail alone in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a control panel in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a safety fence in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a symbol diagram schematically showing a single rack in the device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a plan configuration diagram of a pallet pool type machining apparatus of a second embodiment according to the invention of claims 1, 3, 4, and 5.

FIG. 12 is a plan configuration diagram when the number of machining centers is increased to two in the second embodiment device.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a modification of the center of the pallet loading / unloading unit in the devices of the first and second embodiments.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,1 'Pallet pool type machining device 2 Pallet 3,4 Pallet rack 5 Machining center (machine tool) 6,7 Pallet pool 8 Setup station 9 Transport vehicle 12,13 Rail single unit 16,17 Rack single unit A Center line of loading / unloading part B Center line between pallets P Pallet pitch P1, P2 Basic length

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A machine tool for processing a work, a pallet pool having a plurality of pallet shelves on which the work mounting pallets are placed, a setup station for exchanging the work on the pallet, and the machine tool. , A pallet pool, and a pallet pool type machining apparatus provided with a transfer vehicle for transferring the pallet between the setup stations, and a rail laid between the machine tool and the pallet pool and on which the transfer vehicle travels In the above, the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting a plurality of pallets,
A pallet pool type machining apparatus characterized in that the rail is constituted by a plurality of rails each having a length substantially the same as the basic length. 2. The pallet rack according to claim 1, wherein the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting two pallets, and at least one pallet rack and at least one rail unit are arranged in parallel in a plan view. The center of the pallet loading / unloading part of the machine tool is located on the center between the pallets mounted on the pallet rack, or the center between the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and the pallet rack mounted on the pallet rack. A pallet pool type machining apparatus characterized in that the above machine tools are arranged such that the distance between the machine tool and the machine is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch. 3. The pallet rack according to claim 1, wherein the pallet rack has a basic length suitable for mounting three pallets, and at least one pallet rack and at least one rail unit are arranged in parallel in a plan view. The center of the pallet loading / unloading part of the machine tool is located on the center of any pallet mounted on the pallet rack, or the center of the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and the center of any one of the pallets. A pallet pool type machining apparatus characterized in that the above machine tools are arranged so that the intervals between them are an integral multiple of the pallet pitch. 4. The at least one rail according to claim 2 or 3 in a plan view so as to be adjacent to the rail unit and the machine tool.
A pallet pool type characterized by arranging a pair of rails and at least one set-up station, and the distance between the center of the loading / unloading part of the machine tool and the center of the set-up station is an integral multiple of the pallet pitch. Machine processing equipment. 5. The rack according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rack arranged along the rail for driving the transport vehicle is an integral multiple of a pitch of rack teeth and substantially equal to the basic length. A pallet pool type machining device characterized by being composed of multiple racks of the same length.